This author weaves magic spells and although for me this doesn't quite live up to his previous novel (The Conjuror's Bird, bwl 36), it nevertheless conjures a complex tale involving the fate of a 13th C Sicilian expedition searching for mythical animals and that of a young Chinese woman summoned to the court of an Emperor renowned for his sensual appetites and cruelty. An intriguing tale of religion, skulduggery, a secret script, loss and yearning.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 53 September 2009 ) |
